While the debate rages over medicinal marijuana in conservative states, one young man in Colorado is moving forward, with a mission. Undeterred by the challenges Joshua Haupt has partnered with several major consumer goods giants to introduce cannabis as an alternative treatment.

Diagnosed with epilepsy as a teenager, Joshua Haupt soon realized he could safely self-medicate with marijuana instead of the drugs his doctor prescribed. With cannabis, he found he could forgo the awful side effects that came with his legal pharmaceuticals, and most importantly, he could stop having seizures altogether.

Since then, this self-taught weed wizard has developed an extremely effective system of growing, harvesting, and implementing plants that yields more than three times the production that serious commercial growers regularly produce. Now, with his comprehensive book, Three A Light, the entrepreneur Examiner.com calls “the Steve Jobs of cannabis” wants to share his company’s extensive knowledge with the world.

Hank Putnam: What was the conventional treatment for epilepsy like?

Joshua Haupt: I was on Depakote, a common anti-seizure medication, and it was terrible. The side effects were weight gain, liver damage, hair loss, and impotency. Impotency? For a teenager? Like many teenagers, as I began to ‘experiment’ with marijuana, I noticed my problems went away. Depakote was legal, and something that worked better was outlawed. I thought, ‘This makes no sense’. So I made my own rules. Fortunately, I spent the majority of my time growing up in states like Hawaii and Colorado, states that were fairly pot-friendly.

HP:The standard medical remedy must have seemed like a cruel joke.

JH: It still is. I call it the Golden Rule. The guy with the gold makes the rules. It’s still a big mess. The real gateway drug is alcohol, which is, of course, completely legal. Pain medications are one of the biggest problems we face in the U.S. right now, and some people are still worried about medicinal marijuana.

It’s been proven to be very effective in treating PTSD, but I hear that the VA, the Veteran’s Administration, will void a veteran’s treatment with pain meds if they find out he uses marijuana. And Oxycodone may be as addictive as heroin! I honestly believe that we will see marijuana come to be recognized as a major form or medicine. Especially the CBD’s, the Cannabidiol by- products. These don’t involve THC, the chemical compound that gets you high. We are just beginning to discover what the CBD’s can cure. So far, 23 states have made it legal for marijuana cardholders to grow their own plants.

HP: What does ‘Three A Light’ mean?

JH: It’s based on the idea that with one light, a 1,000-watt, high pressure sodium light, a smart grower can produce one pound of cannabis per light. With my system, from start to finish, going from seed to flower, I can show you –anyone, really- how to get more than three times that much from each light.

HP: It sounds pretty complicated.

JH: My goal is to make it all very simple. The book is illustrated so that it’s very user-friendly. I found that so much of the literature out there was just not practical enough. Three A Light is the only complete A to Z guide that takes you through every step of the growing process, and it’s designed for anyone, from beginners to experienced growers that want to get maximum quantity without compromising quality.

HP: This knowledge isn’t cheap, is it?

JH: Well, I can’t afford to give it away. At $500, the book may sound expensive, but I like to think of it as a high-quality product from Apple. Like a fine leather-bound Louis Vuitton accessory, or a big coffee table book, with great glossy photos, and above everything else, it’s educational. It’s the most comprehensive book out there, and it can change lives.

HP: Do you see yourself as the ‘Johnny Appleseed’ of cannabis?

JH: I do see Three A Light as a chance to give back, as something very positive. This book combines 30 years of trade secrets from the best in the business, and if you stop to consider that the average learning curve for a grower is around five years, with a lot of expenses that come from trial and error experiences, I’m proud to be helping people by sharing my knowledge with them.

Since the days when he first began to heal himself with cannabis, Joshua Haupt has seen his hobby grow into a legitimate enterprise that employs 50 master growers. Terry Fitch, a former VP with Coca-Cola, has been hired as the company’s Chief Executive Officer, and they are currently developing a new line of ‘Success Nutrients’ as well. With its release in 2015, Three A Light has drawn very positive reviews from several major media sources and enthusiastic support from many high profile celebrities.

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